My birth date is 06-12-1950 I will be 70 on June 12th, i plan on filing for my benefits in march.Is it best to file on line or in the office. My wife will be 64 on 04-07-20 she plans to retire the end of July. I will retire dec.31-2020. She can file after me right? Will her benefits be half of mine.

Hi,

I don't think there's any best way to apply for benefits. If you're comfortable filing online, then that may be easier for you. But, you could also file by phone or in person at a Social Security office. It's just up to you.

Hi Larry,

There is no question in the application SSA-2-BK that asks "If you are eligible for both retirement benefits and spouse's benefit, do you want to delay receipt of retirement benefit?"
Please advise.

Thank you,

Boris

Hi Boris,

My wife turns 66 on May 7th 2020. She doesn't qualify for benefits on her own since she was a stay at home mother. She has applied for spousal benefits to start in May of this year under my earnings record. I am already taking my benefit since I turned 66 in 2018. Social Security has denied her benefits stating that she doesn't have the needed work credits. We didn't apply on her work credits but instead applied for spousal benefits. Why was she denied? I think it is an error. We have been married for over 44 years. What do I need to do to correct the error?

I work in the usa for more than10 years I was in the USarmy for 4 years and the reserves for 6 years I now lives in Jamaica can I file for social security I will be 64 in may

Hi,

Yes, you can apply for Social Security benefits. You should be able to qualify for Social Security retirement benefits as long as you have at least 40 quarters, or 10 years, of Social Security coverage. However, your benefit rate will be reduced for age if you start drawing prior to your full retirement age (FRA), which if you were born in 1956 is 66 and 4 months.

I will be retiring and drawing Social Security next year. I have a spouse and a disabled adult child (disabled since birth). I've purchased the software to maximize my benefits and am really happy with it. Thank you so much for that. My question is regarding filing online versus in-person. Ultimately we will be filing for my retirement benefits, my wife's retirement and spousal benefits, my daughter's SSDI on my account and my wife's caregiver for DAC benefit. Is it possible to do all of this online or must some of it be done in-person?

Hi,

Hello, I was approved for social security benefits 2 days ago and chose the start date to be March, thinking it would be March 1st. Now I understand the first payment wont be until April 15. I called the rep at Social Security and she told me my account had already been adjudicated so I would need to go into a local office to change the start date. I called back got a different rep who told me I would have to start the process all over from the beginning.

I used your software a few years ago and have read your book several times and your advice has been very helpful. My 70th birthday is this coming March 27th and am now going file for my retirement benefit, and will file online. I need to know the specific remarks I need to make in the remarks section to refuse retroactive benefits, as I do not want to make the mistake of having SS reverse my delayed credits. Thank You, John

Hi John,

Larry,

Just following up on an earlier question. Online response is fine; no need to email me directly.

Hello - I am going to turn 70 in January 2021 and am planning to hold off on applying for my Social Security until then, for full extended benefits, and am hoping to quit my job at that time and live off of my Social Security (since I don't have savings to live off of) Can you confirm what time I should apply for Social Security to get the full extended benefits monthly deposit put into my checking account the earliest possible date, and what that date would be. That would help me plan ahead.

I filed an online application in September, 2019 to start my own benefit for December, 2019 at FRA. It has been 8 weeks and is still processing. Plan is when I am approved, my husband will file for spousal benefit on my record . His FRA (66) was Feb, 2019. He did not file for his benefit and is still working. How do we make it very clear that he is filing a Restricted Application.? Should we wait for my application approval to file for his spousal? And can we request his spousal to begin Dec , the first month I am eligible for benefit with no reduction.?